Warriors Beginning War : Changing Paths
by WarriorsBeginningWar
Summary: Foxpaw, a new apprentice in ThunderClan, faces trials along with the rest of her Clan when a rouge dies kitting two kits. They are taken to RiverClan to be nursed, but Lilystar doesn't plan on giving them back without a price.
1. Chapter 1

_"Foxpaw! Foxpaw!"_

_Foxpaw blinked sleep from_ her eyes and stood up groggily, wobbling slightly.

Nightwhisker, her mentor, stood stiff-legged at the entrance to the Apprentice's den,

tail twitching.

"Nightwhisker? What's wrong?"

Nightwhisker's eyes glinted anxiously. "The loner, she's having her kits, but

Shimmerpelt thinks something has gone wrong."

Foxpaw's stomach lurched. An ungroomed, frail old she-cat had been escorted

into camp after a patrol had picked her up near the Great Sycamore, and she had

begged Frondstar to take her in, claiming that if she didn't she and her kits would die.

Frondstar had relented, but many of the Clan had remained wary of her, and despite

Shimmerpelt's best efforts, her health had deteriorated rapidly and descended further

into fever. Shimmerpelt had been forced to isolate her in her den.

"Does she need help?"

Nightwhisker backed out of the den. "I think so. She sent me to get you."

Foxpaw stepped out of the Apprentice's den and started towards the medicine

cat's den warily. A sliver of the moon peaked out from behind dark, gray clouds,

shedding an eerie light on the ThunderClan camp. As she watched, a slim figure

slipped from the fern tunnel.

A dark sense of foreboding fell over her, and she quickened her pace, but

Shimmerpelt was already padding their way, head hung. "It's too late," she rasped as

Nightwhisker opened her mouth, "She's dead."

"Are her kits alive?" Nightwhisker asked desperately.

"Yes, they're alive and healthy. But ThunderClan doesn't have any nursing

queens at the moment, and I don't know how many cats in other Clans would be eager

to feed a loner's kits, especially those born in another Clan."

"What about WindClan? One of their queens used to be a loner, right?"

Foxpaw mewed.

"WindClan would take too long to reach, and these kits are only newborns."

Shimmerpelt snorted with uncharacteristic impatience.

"Where, then?" Nightwhisker growled.

All three cats fell silent and stared into the medicine cat's den, where a high-

pitched wailing ensued. A few cats, awoken from sleep, grumpily poked their heads

out of their dens.

A cat brushed past Foxpaw and she started, but it was only Frondstar. She was

staring sadly at Shimmerpelt, who sat hunched over with exhaustion. Frondstar

padded to her side and whispered, "It was the loner, wasn't it?" Shimmerpelt nodded.

Frondstar straightened her back. "We have no choice then to ask one of the

other Clans for help. Who would nurse these kits? ShadowClan? RiverClan?"

Shimmerpelt shook her head slowly. "ShadowClan is far too hostile at this

moment for us to send a messenger over there, and RiverClan..."

Frondstar's voice became icy. "What about RiverClan? Could not one of their

queens feed these kits?"

Shimmerpelt winced. "No, Frondstar, but you know RiverClan...they're...they're..."

"They are _what?_"

Shimmerpelt's personal misgivings about the sleek RiverClan warriors were

not worth enough to debate with her leader. Frondstar's brother was in

RiverClan, after all.

Frondstar waited for her reply, and not getting one, meowed coldly, "We _will_

send a patrol at sun-high to take the kits to RiverClan and ask Lilystar if one of the

queens could feed them."

Shimmerpelt nodded. "Who will be going?"

Frondstar considered this for a moment. "Nightwhisker, you should go, and

you, Foxpaw," she mewed, "and Yarrowtail and...Petalpelt, too." she beamed;

Petalpelt was her daughter, a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat who had recently become the deputy of ThunderClan. _I've never gotten much of a chance to talk to her_, Foxpaw thought eagerly, and asked, "Will Juniperpaw be coming, too?"

"No, Foxpaw, the patrol won't be gone all day. Juniperpaw will be assigned to

the evening patrol. Maybe he can hunt with Leopardclaw afterwards."

A thought occurred to Foxpaw. "What are their names?" she meowed. "The

kits, what are their names?"

Frondstar half turned to Shimmerpelt, who shook her head. "I haven't named

them." she mewed flatly. "I wasn't sure if...if they would survive. I'm still not sure.

They look healthy enough, but..."

Frondstar turned to Foxpaw and Nightwhisker. "Will you two name them?"

Their eyes widened. "But why us? Shouldn't you, or Shimmerpelt?" Nightwhisker meowed.

Frondstar's whiskers twitched. "As you were so keen to harass Shimmerpelt

about the kits anyway," she meowed briskly, "I thought you'd be interested enough to

name them."

Foxpaw stared, aghast, until she realized that Frondstar's eyes held a teasing

glint. Foxpaw scuffled her paws nervously, not knowing what to say, and not daring

to ask any questions, and was relieved when Shimmerpelt stepped between them and

beckoned with her tail towards the fern tunnel. "I think we ought to be...I mean, the

elders will have to bury her. Should we wake them?"

Frondstar's eyes lost their glow. "No," she sighed, "We should wait until

morning before waking them. I will sit vigil with her until sunhigh; then I'll send out

Petalpelt's patrol."

Shimmerpelt nodded wordlessly, and she and Nightwhisker rose and padded

into the fern tunnel. With a glance at her leader, Foxpaw followed.

As they came into the den, the reek of blood and death was settling in around

the loner. Foxpaw couldn't help staring at her warily, but she did not move. In death,

she looked even smaller and weaker then she had before, and her dark tabby fur was

clumped and covered in mud, as if she hadn't bothered grooming herself in her last

days. Her body was twisted at a grotesque angle, her sightless, half-closed eyes staring

at something just out of reach. Foxpaw realized she had been looking at her newborn

kits just before she had died, unable to touch them. Foxpaw's throat tightened. "Will

she...will she be in StarClan? Watching us?"

Shimmerpelt said nothing, but turned into her den with Nightwhisker. The

wailing inside grew more pronounced as the kits heard them, and Foxpaw tore her

gaze from their dead mother and sprinted toward them.

Inside the den, the two kits lay against each other, their wet heads raised and

staring in her direction blindly. Their tiny pink mouths opened in mewls of fright and

hunger, and they echoed off of the den's walls. Foxpaw flinched. She had never heard

anything sound as helpless.

Shimmerpelt bent down to the smaller kit and gave it a soothing lick, but she

only succeeded in increasing the volume of its squeals, and it let out another ear-

shattering wail, this time pleading for milk. Shimmerpelt turned to Nightwhisker.

"The larger one is a female, and the smaller one is a male." Shimmerpelt

meowed wearily.

Nightwhisker approached the larger kit, whose dark tabby pelt was starting to

show through. _Much like her mother's_, Foxpaw thought, and she cringed. The kit's

large head began to sway in its effort to crawl towards Nightwhisker, mewling.

"Cherrykit," Nightwhisker meowed suddenly, "After her mother, Cherry."

Shimmerpelt nodded appreciatively, and she twisted her head towards

Foxpaw. "And the smaller one?"

Foxpaw stared at the kit. He had a lighter brown color. Foxpaw glanced

around at the herbs in the den, unstruck by inspiration. _Juniperkit? No, there's _

_already Juniperpaw,_ she thought. _Catmint? No, that's too much of a _

_mouthful...Yarrow..? No, there's Yarrowtail..._ Her eyes fell on a shriveled, damp

looking root. "Burdock. I mean, is Burdockkit all right?"

"Yes," Shimmerpelt mewed, "Cherrykit and Burdockkit." Her eyes drooped,

and Foxpaw realized how exhausted she must have been. She, Foxpaw knew, had

fought day and night to keep the old cat alive, putting her health before her own.

"We'll organize the patrols soon. Foxpaw, wake the elders before you leave,"

Shimmerpelt curled her body around the kits and rasped her tongue over them. They

squealed and burrowed their muzzles into her fur in search of milk. "I'll tell you if I

need you."

"No, you don't need any traveling herbs," Shimmerpelt mewed, "RiverClan

isn't very far away. You will have to wade out to Sunningrocks, but the stepping

stones are near there and should take you close to the RiverClan camp. The river is

unusually low this year, so it should be safe."

Foxpaw nodded. "Thanks, Shimmerpelt."

"And have you woken the elders?"

"Yes," Foxpaw mewed, "They're burying her outside of camp."

Shimmerpelt stared at her intently for a moment, and Foxpaw felt unnerved.

She looked as if she'd like to say something, but couldn't find the right words. Finally,

she meowed, "Go join the patrol, then."

Foxpaw walked out of Shimmerpelt's den, across camp towards Petalpelt's

patrol, which had already been assembled. Frondstar twined tails with her daughter

and purred, "Be back soon." Petalpelt murmured something inaudible in Frondstar's

ear and stepped away from her, then turned and padded towards the waiting patrol. "Is

everyone ready?"

"Yes. Dawnheart is getting the kits now." Nightwhisker replied.

Dawnheart stepped out from the medicine cat's den with the tom. He danged

in her jaws helplessly as she set him down beside Nightwhisker, who scooped the tiny

kit up in her mouth. Yarrowtail emerged after her, holding the tabby kit, and meowed, "I'm ready to go."

Petalpelt beckoned with her tail. "Then we're leaving," she mewed, and she

padded towards the gorse tunnel. Nightwhisker and Yarrowtail followed, ducking

their heads as they went through the gorse tunnel. Foxpaw padded after them.

"We should probably go down to the Sandy hollow. If we keep heading in that

directions, we'll be at Sunningrocks in no time."

"We're going to have to swim to actually get to Sunningrocks, though, aren't

we?" Yarrowpelt mewed.

"Yes," Petalpelt mewed, "but the river is lower right now, so we'll only get a

little wet."

"Why is it getting lower?" Foxpaw meowed.

Nightwhisker shrugged, and her voice sounded muffled from around the kit. "I

don't know. But if it gets much lower Sunningrocks will technically be in our

territory. That'd be good news for us, though. It's a pretty good spot."

"But will RiverClan just give it up to us? Especially if the river gets lower?"

Foxpaw asked doubtfully.

"Probably not," Nightwhisker admitted. "But we can fight them."

Petalpelt half turned to them. "We're friendly with RiverClan now, and there's

no reason for cats to get injured, perhaps even die, over such a small piece of land.

We don't need to start any wars."

"Besides, the river will probably rise again. Then Sunningrocks will be just as

wet as it always was," Yarrowtail mumbled, adjusting his grip on Cherrykit.

Nightwhisker shrugged. "You're right. There's no reason to fight over some

wet rocks."

Foxpaw glanced over at the Sandy hollow. Nightwhisker was going to take

her there to train her fighting skills, but it occurred to her that she didn't want to have

to use them. It'd be just fine if the Clans didn't fight with one another.

A few seasons ago, RiverClan and ThunderClan had been at war, and many

ThunderClan and RiverClan cats had died. No cat was eager for them to become

hostile again.

A large group of rocks, piled on each other messily, came into view. "Is that

Sunningrocks?" Foxpaw mewed.

"Yes. It's on the far side of the river, but RiverClan cats can be seen sunning

themselves there often in Greenleaf," Petalpelt answered. "Obviously now isn't a good

time for sunning, so I doubt we'll see any RiverClan cats on the rocks."

"Does this mean we're close to the river?" Foxpaw asked.

"Can't you hear it? We're almost there," Nightwhisker replied.

Foxpaw pricked her ears. And rushing, bubbling sound reached them. It was

nothing like the gentle stream near the Sandy hollow. This was much stronger. As

they got closer, she was able to see it. Reeds clogged up the banks, and water trickled

through them. The river was much louder than she originally expected them to be.

And much larger. Sunningrocks wasn't too far from this side of the river. She glanced

up at it warily, but there were no cats on it.

Sunningrocks was more impressive than she imagined. There were cracks all

in it where prey could hide, and smooth surfaces where the cats laid. Probably the

whole Clan could fit up there, and in some places there were rocks they could sleep

under. There were no trees here, so it'd be directly in the sunlight. For a moment, she

shared her mentor's hope that the river would become lower.

"It's much lower than when I last saw it," Petalpelt admitted worriedly,

stepping into the water.

"We won't have to actually swim," Yarrowtail noted. "It's shallow enough to

walk there."

Foxpaw was slightly relieved. She hadn't been looking forward to a swim in

the freezing, rushing waters.

The patrol stepped into the water, and she gasped. It was the closest she'd get

to being submerged in ice. She recoiled from it, then as Nightwhisker threw her an

inquisitive look, she stepped back in and flinched. At least it wasn't far to

Sunningrocks.

Yarrowtail and Nightwhisker lifted their heads slightly to keep the kits far

above the water. With them as weak and hungry as they were, for them to get sick

would be an awful blow on them.

Petalpelt leapt onto the first rock. Yarrowtail and Nightwhisker followed, and

with no little relief, Foxpaw climbed the rocks as well. From the top, she could see

the other side of the river. "Are those RiverClan cats over there?" she mewed.

Petalpelt peered past her. "They are. They must have seen us. They're coming

this way."

"What about the river?"

"They're RiverClan cats. They can swim better than any other Clan in the

forest."

The patrol swam their way with ease towards Sunningrocks. They climbed

onto the rocks, and Foxpaw suddenly felt nervous. What if they attacked them,

mistaking them for a war party?

"What are you doing here?" A silver tabby was at the head of the patrol, eyeing them with curiosity. Three other cats, a small yellow tabby, a white tom, and a black and

orange tom made up the rest of the patrol. The yellow tabby bristled.

Petalpelt stepped forward. "Rushpelt! I'm glad it's your patrol that found us.

Frondstar has a favor to ask of RiverClan."

Rushpelt sighed and watched the squirming kits warily. "There's always

something with you ThunderClan cats. What does she want?"

"One of our queens, their mother, died, and we don't have any nursing queens. Frondstar wants to ask if any of your queens would be willing to feed them," Nightwhisker mewed.

Rushpelt looked thoughtful. "Stormfeather lost her litter, and she's taking care

of a kit whose mother also died. I'm sure she'd be willing to feed them. It's the least I

can do for my sister after she got me out of that badger mess," he meowed.

The white tom took Burdockkit from Nightwhisker, who mewed gratefully, "Thanks, Breezescale." Breezescale shrugged and mumbled around a mouthful of kit,

"Sure."

The yellow tabby groaned. "Why are we taking these kits? They're not our

problem."

"Slashpaw! The warrior code says that no one can neglect a kit in need, even if

they're from a different Clan! And anyway, it'd be wrong to turn them away," the

black and white tom added ruefully.

"Slashpaw! Sappaw! Stop bickering. We're going to ask Stormfeather if she'll

nurse these kits." Rushpelt turned to Petalpelt. "Sorry about that. Shall we go?"

"Sure," Petalpelt mewed. "There's no use waiting any longer. They're just

going to get hungrier."

Rushpelt nodded. "I'll hold the tabby kit. No offense, but ThunderClan aren't

the best swimmers, and we're going to have to swim a little to get to the camp, even if

we use the stepping stones. Don't worry, though, the water will be shallow enough."

Petalpelt grimaced, and Yarrowtail passed him Cherrykit.

Foxpaw sighed. Water. Her pelt absorbed it like moss, and she stayed dripping

and cold for a long time after. Already her pelt was damp and soggy from getting to

Sunningrocks. And with it being leaf-bare, the water would be freezing.

Rushpelt stepped onto the first of the stepping stones, gripping the rock so he

wouldn't slip off. He had to leap slightly to get to the next one, which was partially

underwater. Petalpelt leapt after him, and Yarrowtail and Nightwhisker hesitantly

stepped on.

"Come on, Foxpaw. It's not that bad, really," Nightwhisker huffed,

struggling to stay on her stone.

"Alright, I'm coming," she mewed, and hurriedly got onto the first stepping

stone. Too hurriedly, apparently, and she slipped and partially fell into the freezing water and yowled in surprise, clinging to the stone.

"Foxpaw!" Nightwhisker pulled her back on the wet stone. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she panted. "Just cold. And wet."

Nightwhisker gave her a lick. "When we get to the camp, we'll see about

drying you off a little. The last thing we need is for anycat to get sick."

Foxpaw nodded, shivering. "Let's hurry."

At the last of the stepping stones, which was slightly larger than the rest, there

was a narrow stretch of water leading towards the shore. A cat on its own could jump

across to the shore, but Breezescale and Rushpelt would have to swim.

Rushpelt and Breezescale waded into the water, paddling towards shore, and

Petalpelt took the kits from them and set them on the bank while they climbed out.

Foxpaw, Nightwhisker, and Yarrowtail joined them.

"It's only a little ways to the camp," Rushpelt meowed, water pouring off of

him.

"Yes, but we're going to take the kits now," Petalpelt mewed, eyeing their

dripping pelts. "You and Breezescale are both sodden, and that can't be good for these

kits." Rushpelt nodded, and Yarrowtail and Petalpelt took the kits in their mouths.

Rushpelt walked in front of them, leaving a thin trail of water on the ground.

As they neared the camp, cats stared at them from the entrance. Their sodden

deputy consoled them. "We know they're here. They're not here to invade us. We need

to see Stormfeather."

Slashpaw let out a quiet snort of disgust in their direction, and mewed, "Come

on, Sappaw. Let's go back to the den."

Sappaw meowed, "I'm going to the nursery with them.. If that's okay,

Rushpelt?" Rushpelt nodded.

Foxpaw shook herself, water droplets flying off of her in every direction.

Nightwhisker watched sympathetically, then leapt back. "Couldn't you have done that

somewhere else?"

Foxpaw didn't answer, and the patrol stepped inside the nursery. A dark gray

she-cat raised her eyes sleepily as they walked in, then widened them. "Rushpelt?

Who are these cats?"

"They're ThunderClan cats, Stormfeather," Rushpelt explained. "One of their

queens died giving birth, and they didn't have any cat to nurse these kits. Could you

take them on?"

_Not exactly one of our queens,_ Foxpaw thought, _but I'm not going to tell them _

_that._

Stormfeather shook her head doubtfully. "They're so small...they probably

won't survive...but I'll take them," she added as Rushpelt stared at her. "I have plenty

of milk, since..."

Rushpelt brushed against her. "Thanks, Stormfeather."

Petalpelt sighed in relief, and set they set the kits down near her. Burdockkit

squirmed up to Stormfeather's belly, next to a silvery-gray she-kit, and Cherrykit

beside him. They suckled gratefully.

"Thanks, Rushpelt," Petalpelt mewed. "We'll come back in a moon to take

them back to ThunderClan. We won't forget this. Are you sure Lilystar won't mind?"

Rushpelt shrugged slightly. "She encouraged Stormfeather to take on Rainkit.

I don't think she'll have a problem with it, but I'll go talk to her anyway. I think she's

in her den. It was nice seeing you, Petalpelt."

"You too, Rushpelt," Petalpelt purred. Stormfeather glanced at her

suspiciously, and she added, "It's all right. He's my mother's brother," and Stormfeather

nodded.

"I think we should get back to camp," Petalpelt went on.

Breezescale padded up beside her. "Are you sure? You can take some fresh-

kill, if you want. You must be hungry from traveling here. I doubt my father or

Lilystar would mind. After all, ThunderClan have been good to us in the past,"

Yarrowtail looked like he'd very much like to take Breezescale up on his offer,

but Petalpelt mewed, "No, it's alright. We can feed ourselves when we get back to our

camp."

"I'd like to get back to camp, too," Nightwhisker meowed. "I'm kind of tired,

and I have to do a hunting patrol with Leopardclaw later."

Foxpaw was tired, too, and eager to get away from these fishy smelling cats.

She felt chilled to the bone and wanted nothing more than to curl up in her den and

have a nap.

Breezescale shrugged. "All right. Bye, Petalpelt."

When they got back to camp, Shimmerpelt was already padding towards them,

Frondstar at her side. "How did it go? Did they take them?"

Petalpelt nodded. "One of their queens is nursing them."

Shimmerpelt's shoulders sagged in relief. "That's good."

Frondstar purred. "How's Rushpelt doing?"

"Just fine. He's still grateful you helped him when that badger attacked, and he

seemed happy to see me." Petalpelt replied.

"So we're going to send a patrol back in about a moon to take them back to

ThunderClan?" Shimmerpelt mewed.

"Yes."

"Are you sure RiverClan will give them back?" Shimmerpelt meowed

doubtfully. "They might want one kit for their troubles. It wouldn't be the first time…"

she went on.

Frondstar bristled. "_Both_ kits _will_ be given to us."

Shimmerpelt realized that mentioning it hadn't been a good idea, and she

mewed, "I'm going to go back to my den now...Foxpaw? You're wet. Do you need any

herbs?"

Foxpaw shuddered. "No, I'm fine. Really."

Shimmerpelt shrugged. "If you say so. But if you start sneezing or coughing,

you'd better get in my den. We don't need the entire Clan to become sick just because

you were too stubborn to take some herbs."

Foxpaw watched her go back to her den, and she suddenly realized how tired

and hungry she was. "Want to go get a mouse from the fresh-kill pile?" she mewed to

Nightwhisker.

"I could eat a badger," she replied.

Foxpaw nosed her way into the fresh-kill pile and snatched a vole out for

herself and a mouse for Nightwhisker. Nightwhisker and Foxpaw ate quickly, and

when they were finished, Nightwhisker mewed, "I'm going to go to the warriors' den

now. I'm going on a hunting patrol later. Want to join me?"

Foxpaw's eyes sparkled enthusiastically. "Sure! I'd love to!"

"I'll wake you up when we leave," Nightwhisker's jaws stretched in a massive

yawn. "We both need some sleep."

Foxpaw nodded. "I could sleep for a moon," she mewed, and she climbed into

the apprentices' den. Juniperpaw stirred from his sleep and moaned. "You're back

already?"

"RiverClan took the kits in. And yes, we're back," Foxpaw mewed.

"I have to go on patrol as soon as you get back, Frondstar said," Juniperpaw

grumbled. "I guess I have to go on now, or Fallspirit will have my tail. Are you

coming?"

"Are you kidding? I just got back from RiverClan!"

"You do smell fishy," Juniperpaw mewed, standing at the entrance and

peering out warily. A brown cat appeared there. "Sometime today would be nice,

Juniperpaw!"

"I'm coming, Fallspirit. Bye, Foxpaw," he added, and left with Fallspirit.

Foxpaw stretched and curled in her nest of moss appreciatively. A weight had

been lifted from her shoulders, she realized. She'd been worried about Burdockkit and

Cherrykit, too, and looked forward to them coming back in a moon. Maybe they could

train together. She purred, and fell into a tired sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_Foxpaw was woken by a heavy_ shove in her flank. Grumbling, she turned to see Juniperpaw curled up beside her. His hind leg kicked again, and Foxpaw had to pull back to avoid it. She jabbed a paw in his side.

"Juniperpaw!" she hissed. "You're dreaming. Quit it."

Juniperpaw lifted his head, blinking sleepily. "Can't a cat get some rest around here? I was only up patrolling all night."

"You can if you quit kicking me in your sleep," Foxpaw growled, turning over. "And you can't have been out that long. It's still dark out."

"What? No it isn't. Our patrol came back at dawn."

Foxpaw glanced at the entrance of the den, and saw that a sliver of light was visible among a mass of darkness. She stared at it, confused, until the black shifted and revealed a pair of massive yellow eyes. She let out an involuntary squeak of surprise.

The yellow eyes blinked. "What are you squealing about, you furball?" Nightwhisker mewed.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were there." Foxpaw meowed. Beside her, Juniperpaw let out a snort of laughter.

"Well, it's about time you two got up. We're on hunting patrol this morning. And Leopardclaw wants you to come, Juniperpaw," Nightwhisker added to the silver tom. "You haven't been on a hunting patrol for a while."

"Is Fallspirit coming too?" Juniperpaw asked, rising and shaking moss from his pelt.

"No, he's on another hunting patrol."

Juniperpaw breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I can never hunt properly with that cat breathing down my neck."

Nightwhisker's whiskers twitched. "Don't talk about your mentor like that. He trains you well," she mewed, though she sounded amused - everyone knew how stern the brown warrior was. She lifted her tail. "Come on, then, you two. I'll meet you at the gorse tunnel when you're ready. "

As Nightwhisker bounded away, Juniperpaw turned to Foxpaw, looking excited. "This is your first hunting patrol, right?"

Foxpaw nodded eagerly, stepping through the ferns that surrounded the apprentice's den. "Nightwhisker has shown me how to hunt before, but I've never actually been on a hunting patrol. The only thing I've ever caught was a mouse outside the nursery."

Juniperpaw gave her a friendly nudge. "Well, it's only my third time on patrol. We can both fail together. "  
Foxpaw swiped at his head playfully, and he ducked and tackled her. Foxpaw kicked him away and nipped his forepaw while he grabbed her hindpaw in his teeth. They wrestled there for a moment longer before an annoyed yowl sounded across the camp.

"Anytime you two are ready to stop acting like kits!" Leopardclaw called. The golden warrior was standing beside Nightwhisker at the gorse tunnel, tail twitching. Several cats around camp turned their heads in their direction. Foxpaw got up and shook her fur briskly, giving her chest an embarrassed lick.

As they wound their way across camp, Petalpelt, who was crouched beside the fresh-kill pile eating a thrush, stopped them. "That was a nice fight," she purred, eyes glittering with amusement. Juniperpaw shrugged and looked away. "Come on, Petalpelt, I'm sure you did that as an apprentice, too. Every cat does."

"Perhaps," Petalpelt admitted. She glanced at Foxpaw. "Anyway, would one of you bring back some feverfew while you're out? Shimmerpelt needs some for Yarrowtail. He has a little fever. She said there was some by the Great Sycamore."

Foxpaw dipped her head. "I'll ask Leopardclaw if we can go that way."

"Thank you," Petalpelt mewed, returning to her thrush. Foxpaw noticed that the small tortoiseshell's stomach was starting to bulge out slightly, and her whiskers twitched with surprise. Petalpelt was never one to take more fresh-kill than she needed.

Foxpaw and Juniperpaw nodded a good-bye, and then padded towards Leopardclaw and Nightwhisker. Leopardclaw looked quite annoyed.

"Petalpelt says we need to go by the Great Sycamore to get some feverfew while we're out," Juniperpaw mewed importantly.

Nightwhisker's ears twitched. "For Yarrowtail? He kept me up half the night with his coughing. I had to go sit outside your den to get any sleep."

Leopardclaw nodded briskly. "We'll try to go by there. Come on," he mewed, beckoning with his tail. "No more delays. We've wasted enough time already."

They pushed their way out of the gorse tunnel and into the forest. The glowing morning light touched the treetops, painting them golden, and even though it was leaf-bare, Foxpaw felt warmed by it. Her paws tingled with excitement. Her first hunting patrol!

Up ahead, Leopardclaw swung his head to the right, motioning that they should follow him. The patrol wound their way towards him. Suddenly Nightwhisker's ears pricked up, and she turned to the side, ever muscle tensed. Foxpaw strained her ears and heard a low scraping sound a couple of fox-lengths away. Nightwhisker smoothly dropped into a low crouch and disappeared into a patch of ferns. Leopardclaw stopped, watching her with interest.

After a few moments of silence, there was a sharp squeal, abruptly cut off, and Nightwhisker walked through the ferns, a rabbit dangling from her jaws. She opened her mouth and it dropped at her paws.

"Good work," Leopardclaw murmured. "That was quick. We've barely left camp."

Nightwhisker purred. "It was a slow one. It didn't even see me coming." She dug a shallow hole in the ground and dragged the rabbit in it, covering it with dirt.

Leopardclaw looked around at them, then meowed, "Alright, I think we should split up here. Foxpaw, you can go into those brambles there. There might be some prey hiding in them. Nightwhisker, I think you and I can go towards Tallpines. We haven't sent a patrol in that direction for a while. Juniperpaw, you can go north, but _stay away from the Thunderpath._" He glanced around at them. "Since we're nearly at the Great Sycamore, we'll meet back there. Bring any prey you catch with you."

"Don't feel too discouraged if you don't find anything," Nightwhisker added. "It is leaf-bare, after all."

Juniperpaw and Foxpaw nodded in assent, and Nightwhisker and Leopardclaw bounded off. Juniperpaw started to pad into the ferns, then turned back. "Good luck, Foxpaw! And try not to get any brambles stuck in your fur. I don't want to wake up with those in my nest."

Foxpaw started into the clump of brambles, barely squeezing through. A couple of them snagged her pelt, but they barely touched the surface of her fur. As Foxpaw climbed into the hollow inside of the bramble patch, her paws scraped against dead leaves, which crackled loudly.

_I don't know why that mouse-brain thought this would be a good place to hunt,_ she thought irritably, licking her fur flat.

Suddenly, she started. A crunching sound much like the one she had just made, but softer, was coming towards her left. The warm scent of a mouse reached her, and she dropped into a crouch, trying to imitate Nightwhisker. She watched as a flicker of brown passed along the inside of the brambles, and her tail lashed excitedly. Unfortunately, though, her tail brushed against a bramble, and the mouse froze, then bolted. Heart pounding, she pounced at it desperately, but its small body darted easily though the brambles and it vanished. She spat with frustration.

_I'm never going to be able to hunt in here_, she thought, and pulled her way back out of the brambles. Remembering that they were supposed to meet up at the Great Sycamore, she decided to head that way, hoping she would catch something before she got there.

As she padded off, trying to remain quiet, she glanced up at the sky, visible only in patches through the treetops. Though it was well into the morning, she could see the faint, barely visible outline of the moon. It was nearly completely round, missing only a tiny sliver. The Gathering, she knew, was tonight at Moonhigh. Foxpaw desperately wanted to go. Though she was a new apprentice, she hoped she would be chosen, since there was only Juniperpaw and her. Frondstar wouldn't want to appear weak and only bring one apprentice, she reasoned. Just then, a faint tapping noise reached her ears.

She stopped dead in her path. A red bird with a small crest on its head was plucking at the frozen ground up ahead, searching for food. She stared at, fascinated – it was unlike any bird she had ever seen in the fresh-kill pile before.

Foxpaw stalked towards it, weaving around ferns and other plants to get behind it. As she bunched up her muscles to pounce, it cocked its head in her direction, apparently disturbed. I won't let another one get away, she thought, gritting her teeth, and jumped. With a flutter of crimson wings, it took flight towards the fading outline of the moon, but she leaped and caught its back with both paws, slamming it to the ground, where it flapped its wings helplessly. She gave it a sharp nip to the spine, and it stiffened, then fell limp.

She took it in her jaws, bursting with pride. The bird was plump, though it was leaf-bare, and could probably feed two cats back at camp. As Foxpaw padded towards the Great Sycamore, she kept her head high to avoid dragging the red bird along the ground, as hungry foxes might be alerted by the noise.

Foxpaw knew instantly when she arrived there that she had found the right place. She couldn't help but open her mouth slightly in awe. The Great Sycamore was far larger than any other tree in the forest. It towered proudly over all the trees, the top of it so high up it was barely visible. Foxpaw noticed a clump of yellow and white flowers at the base of the tree, and sniffed them. It must be the feverfew Petalpelt asked us to get. She dropped the bird next to it, then sat and waited for the rest of the patrol to come back.

Before long, Foxpaw saw Nightwhisker and Leopardclaw step through the bracken towards her. Leopardclaw had a thrush in his jaws, and Nightwhisker was carrying a starling and the rabbit she had caught earlier. The dropped their prey next to Foxpaw's.

Nightwhisker prodded the red bird curiously. "What is it?" she mewed, turning the bird over. "A starling of some kind?"

Leopardclaw sniffed it. "I don't think so. I've never seen a starling that looked like that."

"Well, it's fresh-kill. Well done, Foxpaw," Nightwhisker mewed approvingly. Foxpaw's eyes glowed.

There was a rustling sound, and Juniperpaw came padding over, two mice dangling from his mouth. He dropped them in surprise when he saw the fresh-kill. "We sure caught a lot! Wow, Foxpaw, you caught something _weird_!" he added, nudging the bird.

Leopardclaw nodded and meowed gruffly, "I think we've done well today. Let's take this back to camp. And Juniperpaw, try to keep your mice from falling out of your mouth this time."

They picked up their prey and started back towards camp, Foxpaw making sure to take a clump of the feverfew with her. Juniperpaw nudged Foxpaw with his shoulder and mumbled, his mew muffled by the mice, "Congratulations on your first official catch!"

"Thanks. You did well to find two mice. I found one, but I missed it." Foxpaw admitted, readjusting her grip on the bird to speak through its silky feathers.

"We all miss prey sometimes," Juniperpaw mewed. "If I caught everything I saw today I'd be bringing back half the forest in fresh-kill!"

Nightwhisker turned back towards them, her eyes lit up with laughter. "I can hardly understand a word of what you two are saying. Didn't your mothers ever tell you not to speak with fresh-kill in your mouths?" she meowed, barely audible around her rabbit and starling. Foxpaw noticed that even Leopardclaw's eyes were glimmering with amusement.

When they reached camp, Petalpelt spotted them and padded towards the gorse tunnel. "Well _done_!" she mewed, her eyes widening in surprise. "I didn't expect you all to find so much prey in leaf-bare. And Foxpaw, thank you for getting the feverfew. By the way," she added, looking at Juniperpaw and Foxpaw, "I've spoken to Frondstar, and she says both of you may come to the Gathering tonight." Foxpaw and Juniperpaw exchanged a thrilled glance. "You may all go leave your fresh-kill in the fresh-kill pile. Foxpaw, if you could take the feverfew and your catch to Shimmerpelt, I think she would appreciate it."

Foxpaw nodded eagerly and sprinted towards the fern tunnel. She nearly collided with a mass of gray fur.

"Foxpaw! You're back. And already trying to knock over your medicine cat," Shimmerpelt mewed, her whiskers twitching. "Thank you for the feverfew," she added. "Petalpelt told me she sent you to get it. And congratulations of going to the Gathering tonight." Her eyes narrowed as she saw the crimson bird in Foxpaw's jaws.

Foxpaw dipped her head. "Would you like me to take the feverfew to Yarrowtail?" she mewed.

"Yes, thank you," Shimmerpelt meowed. "But leave me the bird. I haven't had a chance to eat since sunrise. I think the Clan is trying to starve this old cat." Foxpaw noticed that while her mew remained light, her eyes were fixed on the bird, still narrowed. Foxpaw dropped the bird and hurried into the medicine cat's den with the feverfew, where Yarrowtail lay curled, his body shaking with suppressed coughs.

"Here. Shimmerpelt wants you to eat this. It's feverfew," Foxpaw meowed respectfully, dropping the tiny flowers next to the white warrior.

Yarrowtail lifted his head. "Thank you," he rasped, picking the flowers up in his mouth and chewing them slowly. "I heard you and Juniperpaw are going to the Gathering tonight," he mewed. "I wanted to go, too, but with this cold Shimmerpelt thinks I should stay in camp."

"Sorry," Foxpaw mewed, staring at her paws.

Yarrowtail's amber eyes widened. "Sorry? For what? You would have gone to the Gathering anyway. Don't worry, you aren't taking my place. It's because I went out on patrol to RiverClan when it was the water was so cold." He glanced her over and coughed, "You and Juniperpaw better go get some rest. You'll both be up all night. Oh, but when you come back, do you think one of you could come and tell me what happened?"

Foxpaw nodded, eyes shining. "I will," she promised.

Yarrowtail settled in his nest. "Thank you," he mewed. "Have fun."

Foxpaw padded out of the den, her fur bristling with excitement, and started towards the fresh-kill pile, eager to get some food in her belly.

"Don't let Juniperpaw start any fights at the Gathering!" Yarrowtail called after her.


	3. Allegiances

**ALLEGIANCES**

T H U N D E R C L A N

**LEADER** **FRONDSTAR**-dusty brown tabby she-cat, white paw

**DEPUTY** **PETALPELT**-tortoiseshell she-cat; Frondstar's daughter

**MEDICINE CAT** **SHIMMERPELT**-sleek gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**WARRIORS** **NIGHTWHISKER**-young shorthaired black she-cat

**DAWNHEART**-Slim black and white she-cat with white paws

**CHARCOALCLAW**-shy black longhaired she-cat

**YARROWTAIL**-curious white tom with small yellow eyes

**FALLSPIRIT**-large brown tom

**APPRENTICE, JUNIPERPAW**

**PUMPKINPELT**-light creamy tabby she-cat with white paws

**LEOPARDCLAW**-spotted golden tom

**SWALLOWTAI**L-mottled ginger tom, green eyes

**VINEWHISKER**-friendly gray tom

**APPRENTICES** **JUNIPERPAW**-silver tom with white splotches

**FOXPAW**-longhaired calico she-cat

**QUEENS** None

**ELDERS** **PINETAIL**-longhaired tabby tom

**SPARROWWING**-irritable black and white she-cat

**MOSSWHISKER**-fluffy black she-cat

R I V E R C L A N

**LEADER** **LILYSTAR**- white she-cat with blue eyes

**DEPUTY** **RUSHPELT**-silver tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, SLASHPAW**

**MEDICINE CAT** **ASHTAIL**-tortoiseshell she-cat

**WARRIORS** **RUSSETFEATHER**-longhaired she-cat with unusual marbled pelt

**BREEZESCALE**-easy-going white tom

**DEWCLOUD**-black and white she-cat

**SILVERWHISKER**-lightly-colored gray she-cat

**STREAMSTRIPE**-silver-blue tabby tom

**RIVERWHISKER**-gray tabby tom

**SHREDWIND**- longhaired white tom with green eyes

**APPRENTICE, SAPPAW**

**PEBBLELEAP** - dark gray tom with tufted ears

**SHELLFOOT**-energetic ginger she-cat with white paws

**APPRENTICES** **SLASHPAW** - irritable yellow tabby she-cat

**SAPPAW**-startlingly black and orange tabby tom

**QUEENS** **STORMFEATHER**-dark gray she-cat

KITS -**BURDOCKKIT**-brown tom with distinct green eyes

**CHERRYKIT**-bubbly white she-cat with tabby patches

**RAINKIT**-pretty silver she-cat with blue eyes

**ELDERS** **WILLOWLEAF**-undersized tabby tom

**EAGLEFLIGHT**-once powerful black tom

**FERNLILY**-black she-cat

W I N D C L A N

**LEADER** **ADDERSTAR**-dark tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, FINCHPAW**

**DEPUTY** **HAWKFEATHER**-light brown tabby she-cat with white paws

**MEDICINE CAT** **SKYWHISKER**-longhaired white tom

**WARRIORS** **BRIARTHORN**-light brown tom

**SORRELEAR**-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**APPRENTICE, NEEDLEPAW**

**REEDFUR**-black tom

**APPRENTICE, DOVEPAW**

**PALEFOOT**-cream tom

**SPIDERTAIL**-gray tom with a long tail

**SWAMPFUR**-dark she-cat with green eyes

**BARKSPOT**-brown and white tom

**APPRENTICE, DIRTPAW**

**ROOKPELT**-black tom with blue eyes

**GRAYFOOT**-gray she-cat

**APPRENTICES** **NEEDLEPAW**-black tom with green eyes

**FINCHPAW**-black and brown tom

**DOVEPAW**-dull silver she-cat

**DIRTPAW**-pale brown tom

**QUEENS** **ROOTFUR**-white she-cat

**ELDERS** **LOSTEYES**-blind black tom

**BEECHFOOT**-light brown she-cat

**YELLOWBIRD**-cream-colored she-cat

S H A D O W C L A N

**LEADER** **FOGSTAR** - silver striped tom with ice-blue eyes

**DEPUTY** **FLOODFOOT**- longhaired gray tabby tom

**MEDICINE CAT** **DESERTPELT** - old orange tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, FALLOWPAW**

**WARRIORS** **SHADESTEP** - longhaired black she-cat

**APPRENTICE, WAVEPAW**

**EMBERPELT-** tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**SWAMPFUR-** mud-colored tom with long, tangled fur

**MOUNTAINEAR-** sandy-colored tom with extremely large ears

**APPRENTICE, POOLPAW**

**WOODFUR-** dark brown tabby she-cat

**GRASSCLAW-** long-clawed white tom

**FIELDWIND-** ginger she-cat

**APPRENTICE, SHINEPAW**

**APPRENTICES** **SHINEPAW-** silver-gray she-cat with wide, pale blue eyes

**WAVEPAW-** kind cream-colored tom

**POOLPAW -** serious silver tom

**QUEENS** **SHORESTEP-** pale tabby with white paws

**ELDERS** **STONEHEART **- gray tom

**SMOKEEYE-** dark gray tabby-tom with clouded, blind eye

**FREEZEPELT -** white she-cat


End file.
